Free Therapy - Art Journal

So I decided I wanted to use my art journal as more like a journal (by actually writing daily thoughts in it) and scrapbook-hybrid... so I got it out, got out some paint to prep some pages, and then just got carried away.  And I painted about 6 pages yesterday and 5 today (not sharing all of them on here because some of them are reeeeeally ugly lol).  And I like what I painted so I don't want to "ruin" them by adding more layers or journaling.  So for now it's going to stay as an "idea book" and maybe I'll start a new, real, art journal when I finish this notebook.  Only a few more pages to go.

Here's what I have come up with lately.  Sorry for the bad quality photos - all I have is my iPhone and bad lighting.

This page is incomplete but I thought I'd include it anyway.  This is inspired by a city in Italy called Portovenere:

Watercolor and Sharpie pen

Of course, flowers:

Watercolors and felt-tipped markers

Sharpie pen and Watercolor

Crayon, watercolors, and Sharpie pen

This was inspired by a very similar drawing by one of my favorite artists, Alisa Burke.

Watercolor, Sharpie pen

Multimedia flowers:

Watercolor, Acrylic, Washi tape, sharpie

I wanted to illustrate my favorite quote but I'm really really bad at lettering.  So I just started writing to fill up the page.  I tried it two ways: the first way was to just keep going with the letters, even if the words are split up between lines.  The second was to use all caps and try to fit all the words in.  Which do you like better?

These are lyrics from my favorite song, "Corcovado," by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

"I want a life always like this

with you close to me

until the old flame (of passion) is put out."

I'm not an artist by any means, but it is a fun way for me to relax in the evenings.  Peter and I sit together at the dinner table and paint while watching Netflix.  I love getting lost in the paint and forgetting whatever else is going on in life.  Very therapeutic.  I'm still trying to find "my style..."

What do you do to relax?

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50 Things That Make Me Happy

I've stolen this idea from Daydreams of Summertime.  :)

50 Things That Make Me Happy

In no particular order

1. Pink flowers
2. Yellow Flowers
3. My doggie
4. A FRIENDS Marathon
5. Tea in the morning
6. Afternoon tea
7. Tea at any time of the day!
8. Brunch
9. A really good steak
10. Hanging out with my hubby

11. Doing absolutely nothing
12. Ralph Vaughan Williams
13. Airports
14. A clean house
15. Being organized
16. Pretty tea cups
17. A freshly stocked fridge
18. Sunsets
19. Ocean breezes
20. The smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls

21. Poetry
22. Spontaneous creativity
23. Good grammar
24. Bosom friends
25. People who understand where "bosom friends" comes from
26. Betsy-Tacy (and Tib)
27. Sunny days
28. Exploring new places with my husband
29. Finishing a tough project and knowing I did it well
30. My iphone

31. Instagram
32. Baby goats
33. Baby puppies
34. Renaissance music
35. Meeting another musician and having nerdy conversations about music history and theory
36. 1960s fashion
37. Freshly washed bedsheets
38. The feeling after a good yoga session
39. When my clothes fit
40. A really, really, really good book (I'm picky)

41. Canoe rides
42. Learning new languages
43. Beach vacations
44. Photography
45. Mild days, cool nights
46. Finding the best lipstick color
47. Long, hot baths on really cold days
48. Good hair days
49. Family
50. Sparkling water

Honorable mentions: My daily planner, Painting with watercolor, Funny movies, The color yellow, Easy DIY projects, My nieces and nephews, Singing in the Rain, Game nights with friends, Cheesy chick-flicks, and so on and so forth...

And I still have more to add!  So, what are the things that make YOU happy?

Make sure to follow my Instagram.  It's a private account but I will add you if you request.

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Blame it on Rio

Blame it on Rio...

It's been over a year since we left, but these are all still true.


After a year in Rio de Janeiro I...

... can't pronounce Spanish anymore.

... try to kiss everyone I meet.

... make super late dinners.

... don't get shocked at seeing scantily clad women at the beach.

...am always late.

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Checking in

I decided I want to quit teaching and become a secretary.

Then I went to a music teachers conference yesterday and got a little bit of refreshment and encouragement, and I think I'll be ok for a few more weeks...

I think a lot of people don't realize how emotionally draining teaching is.  Parents are quick to complain and quick to contact the teachers when something is wrong, but rarely do they email just to say, "Hey my child loves your class, you're doing a great job, thanks!"  A little encouragement can go a long way.

But isn't that the truth with most things in life?  People are generous with complaints and stingy with compliments, no matter what the setting.

So, while I know that people say "You always have enough time, it's just where you decide to spend it..." (in reference to the excuse given for why I haven't posted on my blog in so long...) Well, to be honest, I do have time... but when I get home from work my brain is fried and I have absolutely no creative energy left to cook dinner much less write a blog post.

So my goal is to try to schedule as many as I can over the weekends, and we'll see what happens.

In the meantime, enjoy these links from around the interwebs:

I have to remind myself of this a lot.

This would be a fun job.

Summer is almost over, but these still sound yummy.

I really want to visit Iceland someday.

Art Journal must haves.

Is the stackable ring trend still going strong these days?

I always wanted to be a stamp designer.

You can always follow along with my Instagram to see what I'm up to when I'm not posting on my blog!  My account is private but I'll add you if you request it.  :)

From my instagram